South Mountain Reservation

Infobox_protected_area | name = South Mountain Reservation
iucn_category = V

---

caption =
locator_x = 252
locator_y = 63
location =
nearest_city = Newark, New Jersey
lat_degrees = 40
lat_minutes = 45
lat_seconds = 00
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 74
long_minutes = 17
long_seconds = 34
long_direction = W
area = 2,047 acres (8 km²)
established = 1895
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = Essex County

South Mountain Reservation covers 2,047.14 acres (8 km²) in central Essex County, New Jersey, in portions of Maplewood, and Millburn and West Orange, bordering South Orange, between the first and second ridges of the Watchung Mountains. [ [http://www.essex-countynj.org/p/index.php?section=parks/sites/so South Mountain Reservation] , accessed April 7, 2007]

In 1896, John Durand, the son of Asher Brown Durand, described the mountain that includes South Mountain Reservation as

:“a wilderness, as it probably existed at the time of Hendrick Hudson, a primitive forest abounding with deer and other wild animals, and traversed by streams alive with trout. Game was plentiful – partridges, quail, woodcock, rabbits, squirrels of every species, raccoons and foxes; while occasionally a hungry bear that had trespassed on the farmyards in the vicinity would be tracked to its den and shot.”

In 1680, wolves, bears and cougars were observed in the area, and there was a bounty on them.

The reservation has changed only slightly through the years. It's been preserved primarily in its wild state. Woodlands abound in a variety of hardwood trees, and tall hemlocks tower above streams, creeks and ponds. The west branch of the Rahway River flows through the valley. A reservoir and watershed owned by the City of Orange lies in the northern tract.

Turtle Back Zoo and the South Mountain Arena lie within its boundaries. There are vistas of New York City, Elizabeth, Union Township, Staten Island. is a picturesque smaller cascade.

In front of the pond called Campbell's Pond is a factory that was abandoned when its interior burned. The adjacent pond has a bridge going across it that is falling apart and is considered dangerous to cross over.

History

The reservation was built from land purchases begun in 1895. It took a decade to untangle the deeds and assemble all the lands at South Mountain. Before he delegated design of the Essex Parks to his stepson's firm, Frederick Law Olmsted visited the newly acquired reservation. He regarded it as some of the most beautiful and promising terrain he had ever seen anywhere. The design of South Mountain was finalized by the Olmsted Brothers in stages over the years. A good deal of construction work — trails, footbridges, shelters, etc. — was carried out by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

The roadway on Crest Drive has been closed to vehicular traffic at the old deer paddock so that you may enjoy a leisurely walk down to Washington Rock. This is the Park System's bona fide Revolutionary War historic site, dating back to the late 1700's when Beacon Signal Station 9 was located here—one of 23 beacons built by General Washington to observe British troop movements quartered on Staten Island and New York City.

It was from this outlook that, on June 23, 1780, Essex County and Newark Militia were first warned that the British had launched an attack westward toward "the Gap," (Hobart Gap), a natural pathway to Washington's troops encamped at Morris Town. In a pincer movement designed to gain access to the Gap, Hessian troops fought bitterly along Vaux Hall Road, with the British advanced along Galloping Hill Road, until they were repelled, the Hessians at the base of the mountain and the British in Millburn—called Millville in those days. Washington Rock served again as a lookout for the Army when reactivated during the War of 1812.

References

External links

* [http://www.nynjtc.org/trails/record/20040226.html Hike of the Week at South Mountain Reservation]
* [http://www.somocon.org South Mountain Conservancy]
* [http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/nyc/parks/loc42.htm Geology of South Mountain Reservation]
* [http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1162360384294260.xml&coll=1&thispage=2 NJ.com News Article]
* [http://www.essex-countynj.org/p/index.php?section=parks/sites/so]

;Photographs
* [http://hallphoto.lab.nu/main.php?g2_itemId=818 Hall Photo South Mountain Reservation pages]